Coronavirus: Consider socio-economic conditions before a lockdown - Research Fellow

Following the gradual rise of Coronavirus cases confirmed for Ghana, a research fellow and doctoral candidate at the New York University College of Global Public Health has advised that before a lockdown is implemented, government needs to consider the socio-economic conditions of its citizens.

According to Nana Kofi Quakyi, a total lockdown without any social intervention policy to cushion the citizenry will lead to starvation.

“Before a lockdown is implemented you need to consider the socio-economic conditions that exist in the country. A lockdown without any social intervention policy to cushion the people is basically a starvation order” Kofi Quakyi stated during CitiFM’s Breakfast Show

Mr Quakyi also advised authorities to intensify contact-tracing which involves recruitment, training and cooperation with communication companies.

“Each person that's not identified early could risk infecting many others if they've got the disease. We really should be thinking about the people who got into Ghana before we started mandatory quarantining, who might not have shown symptoms” he cautioned.

Meanwhile, some experts say it is imperative that government must allow a lockdown that is defined and matches our context.

An International Law and Governance analyst, Kwame Mfodwo said a lockdown is inevitable but the country cannot afford the situation considering the living standards of its citizens.

He also proposed that it can be maintained for more than three days or a week.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s coronavirus case count has jumped to 68 cases after 11 more persons who were mandatorily quarantined by the government tested positive.

“The sudden spike in case incidence is as a result of the mandatory quarantine and compulsory testing for all travelers entering Ghana, as directed by the President. Overall, 30 of the 68 cases have been reported in the general population with the remaining 38 cases among persons currently under mandatory quarantine. As of 24 March, total of 1,030 persons are under mandatory quarantine; samples from 863 of them have been tested and 38 confirmed positive,” the Ghana Health Service explained.